The 11-year-old Merrimack boy's brother and sister had play dates, but no one showed up to play with him, said Austin's mom, Delilah Mendrala.

Advertisement

“Austin has autism and Tourette’s syndrome, and though he does have kids that are nice to him during school, he has no friends to play with all summer,” Mendrala said, “He is lonely.”

Mendrala said that Austin cried all last week over the play date. She decided to reach out to her community through a Facebook page called the “new positive Merrimack forum.”

After explaining what had happened, Mendrala said she and Austin would be at the school playground on July 7 at 2 p.m.

“Some people showed up – eight children and their parents and the Merrimack Police Department,” Mendrala said, “Fire of their officers with two police cars. Then they said to me… ‘We have more friends coming!’”

The Merrimack Fire Department sent six firefighters and paramedics in a fire truck and ambulance, Mendrala said.

A few minutes later, Robert Kelleher, Community Resource Officer, arrived in the town’s D.A.R.E. vehicle, Mendrala said.

“They didn’t just stop by, they stayed for a while, let all the kids check out their vehicles, even played with them on the playground!” Mendrala said.

Mendrala said the special visit was made possible by two women in the Facebook group, Katie Gagnon and Lori Spillane.

Gagnon saw the post and shared it with Spillane, Mendrala said.

Spillane's husband, a detective with the Merrimack Police Department, reached out to some friends.

Some of the other kids who attended also had autism, Mendrala said.

“My son called yesterday ‘the best day ever,’” Mendrala said, “I don’t think I have ever seen him so happy and excited!”